This Person Needs an Education

I just read an editorial by someone in Tennessee.  There was no byline, so I don't know who wrote it, let alone whether it was a man or a woman.

The gist of the article is this person's outrage that tax money, all of $80,000, is going to support a quilt museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  The contention is that quilting is passé and no one cares.

Obviously, they have not been to a hobby store lately, especially something like a Joann's or any quilting shop, and has no idea what textile arts are and who practices those arts.  Just because this person probably finds these activities a waste of time, everyone else should also.  I actually think I feel sorry for someone who has no thought to respect the time and trouble it took to make these masterpieces.

Take a look.  Most of the comments were outraged at the editorial.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/nov/15/museum-needles-taxpayers-free-press/

2012-13

The Fat Quarter list for the year is as follows:

          October 2012               Autumn or Thanksgiving
         November 2012           Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukah
          December 2012           Wintertime
         January 2013                Hearts and Flowers
          February 2013              When Irish Eyes are Smiling
          March 2013                   Easter Eggs, Bunnies, Flowers
          April 2013                      Memorial Day…May We Never Forget
          May 2013                       Floral Fantasies
           June 2013                       In the Good Old Summertime
           September 2013           Ghosts and Goblins

The Block of the Month is to be done in your own choice of colors.  You will keep the blocks you make and use them to make a complete quilt for the President's Challenge which will be due in September 2013.  The BoM are as follows (NOTE: Only the first four blocks have been passed out as of the writing of this post.  They will be updated when the additional blocks are announced.):

           October: Churn Dash (http://quilterscache.com/C/ChurnDashBlock.html)
           November:  Mini Bow Tie (http://quilterscache.com/M/MiniBowTieBlock.html)
           December:  Jacob’s Ladder (http://quilterscache.com/J/JacobsLadderBlock.html)
            January:  Spool (http://quilterscache.com/S/SpoolBlock.html)

October 2012 meeting

Hi, All!  Thank you for your patience while I've been dealing with all my family problems.  I'll write more about all that later.

This is a reminder that our October meeting will be on the 10th at Slater Mill at 6:30 pm.

The Block of the Month is Churn Dash (http://quilterscache.com/C/ChurnDashBlock.html).  Color choice is up to the maker.  The blocks will no longer be raffled off.  Each person will keep her own blocks and they will be used to complete the President's Challenge in September 2013.

The Fat Quarter for October is to be an Autumn or Thanksgiving theme.

We will have a Night at the Museum night at the meeting.  Everyone is encouraged to bring in antique or vintage items from their sewing room collections.  Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Sewing or lace-making machines (featherweights count!)
• Sewing machines, ironing boards, irons, etc. manufactured for children
• Thimbles, advertising or other
• Novelty tape measures
• Novelty pin cushions
• Needle books, handmade or commercially manufactured
• Cardboard needle folders (the packaging for needles when originally purchased)
• Old scissors
• Sewing baskets, kits or boxes
• Early sewing or quilting tools
• Early sewing/quilting books or magazines (especially 1st editions!)
• Sewing or pattern company advertisements, framed or unframed
• Unique or interesting embroidery, quilting or sewing patterns
• Framed samplers
• Fabric, ribbon or trim collections
• Photos, prints, paintings of people sewing or quilting
• Framed ribbon and lace dolls, or other framed sewn artwork
• Early handmade lace or crochet trim
• Miniature or doll quilts
• Miniature (dollhouse) sewing items that look like antiques
• Framed vignettes of miniature sewing rooms/quilting studios
• Cookbooks sponsored by sewing machine or pattern companies
• Button collections
• Home-sewn apparel
• Interesting and unique patterns

September 12, 2012 Meeting

The Block of the Month is the Calico Puzzle from Quilter's Cache.

The Fat Quarter theme is Georgia.  Suggestions are peaches, Antebellum, etc.

Contests Galore!

How would you like to win a year's supply of your favorite crafting supplies?

The Making Spot is a blog and website that provides ideas, tutorials, support and more for today's crafter.  Many different crafts are followed.

To enter, go to the website or link to their Facebook page by Friday, September 28, 2012, and either login or register as a new user.  Its very easy to do.  By the way, although the website is based in the UK, anyone in any country is eligible to enter and win.

FactoryDirect.com (this contest seems to be accessible only through their Facebook page) has weekly giveaways called Freebie Fridays.  You need to register each week to be eligible.

So, Good Luck, everyone!  Let us know if you win anything!

Bloomin' Quilts!

If anyone is traveling around the northern Indiana area, you may be interested in spending a day touring the Heritage Trail and experiencing their Quilt Gardens.  This annual event is a free, flexible, self-guided tour available from May 30 through October 1.  Not only was this trip voted a Reader's Choice by USA Today, it was also named one of the nation's "Most Scenic Drives" by the editors of LIFE.

The Heritage Walk is a clockwise loop around central Northern Indiana starting at the Elkhart County Visitor Center (219 Caravan Drive, Elkhart, IN at exit 92 off the I80/90 Indiana Toll Road).  When you get there, be sure to stop and pick up a FREE audio CD that tells you the history of the area along with personal stories and fun facts.  You can also pick up an Amish Country Travel Guide and map at the same time.  Communities include Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Shipshewana and Wakarusa.



There are 19 constantly changing quilt-inspired gardens consisting of more than 1,000,000 blossoms and 18 handpainted quilt-inspired murals and even a flower carpet.  This year they will be producing the first and only autumn season flower carpet made of mums encompassing 6,500 square feet.  The carpet can be viewed from September 19-29, 2012 along the RiverWalk in Downtown Elkhart's Arts & Entertainment District.

You don't have to rush through the area.  You can take several days to travel through the area.  There are 1,200 hotel rooms available.  The people at the Visitor Center will be more than happy to advise you about your visit.  While you are there, you can visit the free quilt exhibit in the Center.

Enjoy!  Make several trips to see how the quilts change appearance.

Graffiti or Art?

Here is an article about Yarn Bombing.  The images are really neat, even if it is considered to be illegal as graffiti.  I've heard of people doing trees, but never anything as extreme as this. 

I wonder what we could do.  Imagine Slater Mill covered in yarns and quilts!  Wow!